Washboard.



T. T. HUSAGK.

WA-SHBOARD.

APPLIUATION FILED MAR. so, 1912.

1,067,919,v Patented July 22,1913.

WIT ESSES Z'QJMWVNTOR,

ATTO R N EY THOMAS T. HOSACK, OF OIL CITY, PENNSYLVANIA.

VASI-IBOARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 30, 1912.

Patented July 22, i913. Serial No. 687,446.

T0 all whom t may concern Be it knoWn that I, THOMAS T. HosAoK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oil City, in the county of Venango and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful lll/lashboard, of Which the following is a specification.

rl`his invention relates to Wash boards, and one object'is to provide a device of this character, Which Will reduce to a minimum the danger of damage to fabrics, even of the finest texture, during the process of Washing.

It Will be readily seen from. the following detailed description taken in connection With the accompanying drawing that the device is very simple in construction, may be cheaply manufactured, and is so arranged that no appreciable Wear Will result to the several parts by continued use.

rThe same reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing, Wherein:

Figure l is a front face vieW of a Wash board, constructed in accordance With this invention. llig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a cross section.

rlhe frame of the Wash board may be of the usual size and proportions adapted for use in an ordinary Wash tub, and it consists of side members or bars l terminating in legs, connected by a top board 2, a bottom bar 3 and an intermediate connecting bar l, all of Which are fastened to the side members in any appropriate manner. The bottom bar 3 is located a short distance from the bottom of the legs as is usual, in order to support the rubbing face of the Wash board above the bottom of the Wash tub When in use. The intermediate connecting bar ll, Which also forms a support for a cake of soap, is located adjacent to the top board 2 and is preferably made of a round strip of Wood, as is the bottom bar 3, though it is to be understood that these members may be made of any other material and any other shape in cross section.

The bars 3 and -l are located centrally of the longitudinal center line of the side members l, and being of a diameter less than the Width of said side members, there is provided., in the case of the bar 4., a space, indicated by the reference numeral 5, Which acts as a drain for a calze of soap. A bottom board G is, of course, provided to support the soap.

Thus far thc Wash board may be said to be of the ordinary construction.

ln order to provide means for fastening the rubbing face of my Wash board, I preferably form grooves 7 on the inner sides of the members l, and similar grooves 8 in the bottom bar 3 and intermediate bar el. These grooves are adapted to receive the marginal edges of a metallic bottom or foundation plate 9, and said grooves are sutliciently narroW to retain the plate securely and prevent its dislodgment under the strain incident to the rubbing and pressing of the clothes during` the operation of Washing.

rllhe plate 9 is made of some non-corredible metal and is provided With a plurality of circular pockets or cavities l0, shoWn as arranged regularly in vertical and horizontal alinement though any other arrangement may be employed. These pockets are preferably stamped from the sheet of metal and as shoWn consist of bottom Walls, and circumferential side Walls, the entire member being of an imperforate character. These pockets or cavities are depressed beloW the face of the plate so that their upper edges are flush With the latter. Over this bottom or foundation plate 9 is placed a sheet of imn-corrodible Woven Wire fabric of sufficient strength to Withstand the strain of the Washing operation. Its marginal edges 1l are also held in the recesses or grooves 'l' and 8 along With the margins of the bottom plate 9. rlhe frame members thus form supporting means for the bottom plate as Well as the sheet of Wire fabric, Which together, constitute the rubbing face of the Wash board. As shoWn the Wire fabric is of open mesh With the longitudinal and transverse Wires crossing each other and extending across and partially closing the open mouths of the pockets. Between the pockets the Wire fabric rests upon the plain face of the plate.

In the operation of Washing clothes With my improved Wash board, it Will be understood that the passage of the garments, under the pressure of the operators hands, up and doWn, over the Wire fabric rubbing surface Will loosen and release the dirt and stains in said garments, by reason of the rounding projections formed by the weaving in and out o-f the many strands used in the formation of the woven wire rubbing face, which projections impinge upon the fabric and tend to squeeze out the dirt. As the garments enter the soapy water in the tub, when lowered by the operator, they are rinsed and cleansed and, upon the upward stroke, carry a quantity of water which is deposited in the several pockets or cavities 10. As the garments pass back and forth over these pockets they are pressed, more or less, into the interstices of the wire mesh of the rubbing face, which forces the water out of the pockets and thereby tends to form a partial vacuum in each, creating a sticking action on the garments and materially aiding in the cleansing of the clothes. These pockets keep a constant supply of soapy water in contact wif'th the clothes being washed.

It will thus be seen that l have devised a simple wash board strong and durable, etlicient in its action and one that may be cheaply manufactured. An important feature lof my invention resides in the use of wire fabric wherein the wires are heavy "fersely across the plate and are spaced from each other by an intervening flat portion of the plate, the mouths of said pockets opening out on the rubbing face of the board in flush relation with the outer or front face of said plate, said wire fabric being of open mesh and having its wires crossing the open mouths of `the pockets both transversely and longitudinally of the board and bearing' di- `rectly upon said plate between said pockets,

said wire fabric and said plate being retained in fixed relation to each other by the frame of the wash board.

In testimony, that l claim the foregoing as my own, l have hereto a'liiXed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS T. HOSACK.

Titnesses JOHN L. MonRIsoN, LEE A. MCCRACKEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five centsieach, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

